So Much For Secrets
by magicmumu
Summary: Gran says a few things she should have when drink hits loosens her tongue. Emma/Ruby


So Much for Secrets

by Erin Griffin

Fandom: Once Upon a Time

Pairing: Red Swan (Ruby/Emma)

Disclaimer: ABC owns the show. I am just playing with the characters. Trust me; they have more fun this way.

A/N: Based off of Kiss Marry Get Drunk with game, I was given Granny as one of the people, and I said get drunk with for her. Thus the prompt was added: "LOL. Granny would tell all Ruby's secrets, like how she kissed a girl on the playground once and how she thought boys were icky when she was in school. ROFL. I need fic for this. WRITE IT. Please?" And we get this thing. Enjoy?

'This woman is hammered!' Emma realized as she took another drink from the bottle in her hand. She somehow got stuck talking to Gran at some townie's birthday party, and she was really only there because someone got a little too wasted and she was invited to stay after she did her duty and kicked him out. Emma didn't know how she got roped into talking to Gran, though. The woman and sheriff barely spoke beyond Emma ordering, and Gran saying a greeting whenever she stopped in, but now the older of the two leaned in as if she had a secret to tell.

"You see her now, but she don't want it," Gran said, her voice thicker than Emma ever remembered, though her words weren't slurring yet.

"Um, what?" Emma asked, trying to figure out just who the old woman was talking about but seeing no one in particular, as Storybrook's women easily outnumbered the men, and they all seemed to be at that party right then.

"My Ruby. She flirts, but she don't want it."

Emma looked around the room until her eyes spotted the young woman in question. Ruby was laughing with one of the men in the room - Emma forgot who, but knew he was friends with Mary Margaret and helped her with candles or something. The man next to him was attentive to what Ruby was saying, and Emma's eyes traveled to the look on the young woman's face. She didn't look at all interested in him, but otherwise seemed to be enjoying the conversation. "She doesn't want... it?" Emma asked carefully.

"Sheriff, that girl is queerer than a three dollah bill on Leap Day," Granny said. She snorted. "She got her secrets, but she can't hide from me."

"Um-"

"Did you know, that when she was a little girl, she had a crush on her teacher? A sweet thing she was- just like Mary Margaret, and Ruby got in trouble for trying to look up her skirt. Twice!" Gran's voice had risen, and Emma shushed her when Ruby looked over at them.

"I don't think you should be... outing Ruby, and not here."

"Someone needs to." Gran's eyes and voice turned serious. "Tell me, sheriff, do I look like someone who would hate her for being who she is?"

"No," Emma replied right away, because she really believed that. As far as older people went (not that Emma knew very many personally before living in Storybrook), Gran was the coolest. "-but not everyone is accepting, and in a small town... You just never know who would be on her side after revealing something like that."

"I will always be on her side. I will always look out for her, and she should know that!" Gran said sharply. "In fact, I have to tell her- I have to-" Gran stood up as if to do just that and nearly fell over. Emma was quick to her feet and just barely caught the older woman.

"Maybe you and Ruby can talk in the morning. RUBY!" Emma called. The brunette came running over. "I think it's time for her to get home," Emma explained.

"Granny, are you okay?" Ruby asked.

"Yes," the old woman said.

"I'll walk you two home," Emma said. She picked up her beer bottle, downed the rest of it and placed a $20 on the table next to it. She hoped that covered Gran's tab as well, but if not, the woman could probably settle the rest the next day.

With Emma under one shoulder and Ruby under the other, the two were able to get the old woman down the 4 blocks it took to get to their home. Emma thought that even if the streetlamps the town diligently kept working at all times weren't up to par then, the nearly full moon was perfect lighting to help guide them home. "Thanks for your help, Sheriff Swan," Ruby said. "I think I can get her inside from here. Wait a minute?" she said somewhat hopefully.

"Yeah, sure." Emma said.

"Sheriff," Gran called, and Emma drew her attention to the older woman. "You'd be so nice for my granddaughter," she said almost wistfully if Emma didn't detect something else in her voice, something strange and vaguely similar to a threat.

"Gran!" Ruby said, her cheeks coloring.

"Why couldn't you ever come out to me, Ruby? Besides, you know I'm right."

"What?" Ruby's cheeks darkened further even though, thankfully, no one could see it then.

"That you have eyes for the Sheriff. You'd look good together."

"Gran, we can talk about this inside and preferably never. Come on." She pulled the older woman inside, and, with an embarrassed and guilty look, closed the door behind her.

Emma had a blush of her own on her face as she watched the door. She was unsure if Ruby still wanted her to wait or not, so she gave the brunette ten minutes. If she didn't come back out, she would go home. The blonde watched down the street. She could see people even at a distance coming and going from the party, and as a couple walked past her on the sidewalk, she nodded to them in greeting.

"I am sorry about that."

Emma jumped at the voice behind her, and turned slowly to face Ruby. She was surprised at how quickly the younger woman had been able to get Gran inside. "It's fine. Are you okay though? I mean... About what she said?"

"I know what people in this town are like. I mean, look at what happened with Miss Blanchard, and all she did was love a married guy. I don't want to see what they would tag on the windows if people knew about me. And... I mean, I was going to tell her, but I just- I just came to terms with it myself, even though sometimes I wonder if I really have. So... can I trust you to keep it a secret? Just for a little while?"

"Yeah. It's your life. Tell people when you feel comfortable. You know, if you ever do," Emma replied.

"Thank you," Ruby said. She took a couple of steps forward, placed a hand on Emma's shoulder, and kissed the sheriff on the cheek. When she backed away, Emma reached for the brunette's wrist and held it. Ruby looked up into Emma's face.

"For the record, I think Gran was right. We'd be good together." She tugged gently, and that was all Ruby needed. The brunette closed the distance between them as Emma's lips found hers. Emma quickly let go long enough to place her hand on Ruby's cheek, and then it slowly moved down the neck, touching the wolf-shaped necklace the younger woman wore, before it fell completely to wrap around Ruby's waist. The brunette wrapped her arms around Emma's neck in order to bring them closer.

Of course Emma knew. At least she had hoped that the extra whipped cream in her cocoa or sweet 'Good morning Sheriff' were just for her. Emma hoped that the crush on her was the same as her crush on Ruby. She was surprised when she first thought about it. She was sure that if she were to fall for anyone non-male, it would have been Regina. Silly, really, but didn't the heroine of the story always fall for the one they had the most heated arguments with? Stereotypically, yes. Still, the crush on Ruby snuck up on her, and it seemed to intensify after the few times the woman in her arms called her 'lemur' for reasons still unknown to her. She was glad that she knew, and she was glad that she was right.

"Well, Miss Lucas... Swan. It's about damn time," Regina said as she came upon them. Emma was glad that Henry was already at the Mills home, fast asleep if Regina had her way. Ruby put her head in Emma's neck in her increased embarrassment, and the blonde felt the breath there.

"Madam Mayor," was all Emma said with the slightest of nods. The nod was returned, and Regina was on her way. It was the best conversation the two had ever had, if Emma was honest with herself.

"So much for keeping it a secret," Ruby murmured into Emma's neck. She lifted her head.

"I'll arrest anyone who dares to mess with you. Each and every one of them, I promise."

"I don't doubt you will, Sheriff," Ruby said with a playful edge to her voice.

"I'm serious, though. I'll protect you, but I have a feeling that you would do just fine if you had to on your own."

Ruby smiled, and leaned in for another kiss. This one was quick, chaste in comparison. When she backed away from Emma's arms, she said, "Goodnight Emma." The sheriff smiled.

"Goodnight, Ruby." She watched again as Ruby went to her door. "Hey, uh..." When the woman turned around, her hand on the doorknob and anticipating Emma's next words, Emma continued, "Will you ever explain to me why you call me a lemur?"

Ruby's smile widened. "That depends," she said.

"On what?" Emma asked. Ruby's head went to the side, her wolf necklace shimmering in the moonlight. Then she went inside, the door closing softly behind her. At least she'd still have one secret to keep, if only for a little while longer.

Confused, Emma took the steps needed to walk away from Ruby's walkway and headed in the direction of her apartment, where most likely Mary Margaret will do that thing where she mothers Emma without seeming like she's trying to mother Emma. It's cute. Annoying but cute. Still, she had lots to talk about, and Mary was her family so she knew that the teacher would be more than willing to listen.

End


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